David Hows - How I turned my sailing passion into a business at age 50

01/02/25 • 126 min

David's daughter Madison interviews him about life lessons, building a sailing business, setbacks, challenges and the future ahead. In this episode, Madison dive's into Davids background as a 16-year school leaver and the 34 year journey he took, to launch and build Ocean Sailing Expeditions at age 50 as COVID 19 hit.

This episode as about passion and resilience and not being afraid to take risks, if you believe in something, no matter what stage in in life you are at.

David shares lessons from childhood, the challenges of finding yourself in a career you don't love and how to pivot and head in a completely new direction, even when the odds of success are stacked against you.

Watch 2024 in pictures with Ocean Sailing Expediitons on YouTube
Join an Ocean Sailing Expeditions Adventure

This episode as about passion and resilience and not being afraid to take risks, if you believe in something, no matter what stage in in life you are at.

Watch 2024 in pictures with Ocean Sailing Expediitons on YouTube
Join an Ocean Sailing Expeditions Adventure

Previous Episode

David Hows: The acquisition of the 105 foot Sea Breeze III - crossing to the dark side

David shares the story of his latest love affair, after falling for Seabreeze III, a 48-year-old classic 105-foot motoryacht, that he is acquiring for the rapidly growing, Ocean Sailing Expeditions fleet. After stumbling across Seabreeze III, 2-months ago and reading all about the painstaking restoration undertaken from 2019-2021 at a cost of more than $3.3m, by the current "motivated vendors", it was just too hard to go past.

David openly shares the story of the roller coaster ride with Ocean Sailing Expeditions over the past 5 years and why this addition to the business makes total sense, even though its powered by motor and not sail. David dives into the business history, challenges, set backs and growth story. If you own a boat or a business, you'll relate to many of these challenges.

This episode includes an exclusive new, one-time Membership and Shareholder offer, to help fund the acquisition of the vessel. You can benefit significantly by accessing sailing adventures at 30-100% discount in return for a one-off investment.

Seabreeze III will operate around New Zealand, offering cruises and expeditions to the Bay of Islands, Hauraki Gulf, Marlborough Sounds, Nelson/Tasman Region, Fiordland and Stewart Island, in the warmer months of the year and head to Fiji for 4 months each winter.

With 4 different deck levels, Seabreeze III is the perfect on the water, viewing platform for special events such as Sail GP, the Americas Cup and Round-the-World race leg starts and finishes in Auckland. Seabreeze III will join the Ocean Sailing Expedition’s, events calendar from late November 2024 and also offer private charter booking opportunities. Sea Breeze III can carry 12 overnight on 99 onboard for day excursions.

Find out more about Membership opportunities / watch the video presentation at: https://oceansailingexpeditions.com/membership
Check out our sailing adventures at: https://oceansailingexpeditions.com/sailing-calendar

Next Episode

Sharon Ferris-Choat: Sydney Hobart Race 2024 Debrief

David Hows catches up with Sharon Ferris-Choat for a debrief on the IMOCA Open 60 project - Awen. With less than 8 weeks to get Awen into MCA Cat 0 survey and to the start line, for the what turned out to be a treacherous edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, it was mission impossible.

Despite the odds, Sharon led a passionate team, who worked around the clock during October and November of 2024, to then cross the Tasman from Opua to Sydney in early December and make it to the start line. Miraculously final approval to race was given by the CYCA just 4 hours before the race started. It was a refit and upgrade project of epic proportions and nail biting right to the end. We had no plan B, we simply had to complete the 700+ tasks in less than 7 weeks, to make the dream possible.

And then the race got underway with gusts of 50 knots plus, hitting the fleet of 103 starters on the first night. The carnage that unfolded over the following 2-3 days was horrendous, as 30 yachts retired with broken masts, lost steering, water ingress, torn sails, injured bodies and the list goes on. Tragically 2 lives were lost, when crew members were hit by booms and mainsheets and a man overboard was successfully recovered during a moon-less night at sea. There are lessons in this for all of us.

This the remarkable story of Sharon’s leadership and seamanship, to pull a rookie crew together for the first time, 3 weeks earlier and to deliver them safely from Sydney to Hobart, despite hitting speeds of 24 knots plus at times, on a boat they were still learning to sail.

Race with Sharon on Awen: https://oceansailingexpeditions.com/sailing-calendar-racing